SOUTH CAROLINA – Firefighters may have stopped a gun man from carrying out a mass-shooting Tuesday, after he surprised them at their station.

At 6:30PM Tuesday, Aiken County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a report of shots fired near a New Holland Fire station. Firefighters reported that Chad Barker pulled up to the firestation’s crowded parking lot, exited his vehicle and began firing his weapon into the air.

“I came out of the office, saw the man with the gun, told everybody to leave out the back quickly that there was a man in the parking lot with a gun, and I was not kidding,” said New Holland firefighter, Gary Knoll.

Knoll continued, saying that he and another firefighter, both concealed carry permit holders, drew their weapons on the gunman. They then followed the erratic gunman back to his vehicle, where they eventually got him to put down his firearm. A group of firefighters then detained Barker until deputies arrived and arrested him.

Unfortunately for New Holland residents, Barker was charged with just two counts of pointing and presenting a firearm, which is not enough, said Knoll, who was hoping for addition charges.

Despite his disappointment at the $20,000 bond granted to Barker, Knoll is relieved that he and the other firefighters were able to stop him before anyone was hurt. Offering that their lawful concealed carry weapons “saved a life, if not multiple”.

The sheriff’s department is still investigating the incident and that additional charges are possible.